Unified Command Announces Plan for Dali Refloating

The refloat and transit of the M/V Dali from its current location to a local marine terminal is slated for early Monday morning.

Optimum conditions call for the transit of the M/V Dali to commence at high tide, predicted to be Monday at 5:24 a.m. The vessel will be prepared at 2 a.m., allowing the M/V Dali to catch the peak high tide for a controlled transit.

The entire refloat sequence (prior to high-tide transit) is estimated to begin roughly 18 hours beforehand, starting midday on Sunday.

Example checklist items in this 18-hour countdown include:

• Release of some of the anchors and mooring lines currently attached to the M/V Dali (nearby tugboats on standby).

• De-ballasting of part or all of the 1.25 million gallons of water pumped onto the M/V Dali, to compensate for the weight removed during the May 13 precision cutting.

• Detailed inspections confirming all obstructions have been removed on the left (port) side of the M/V Dali by Unified Command dive survey teams.

Once free of its current position, up to five tugboats will escort the M/V Dali the 2.5-mile distance to the local Seagirt Marine Terminal.

The Dali will be escorted by tugboats as they tow/push the cargo vessel at roughly 1 mph on its transit to the terminal.

Earlier this week, a survey vessel confirmed a clear path for the M/V Dali to safely transit to the marine terminal.

The entire refloat and transit sequence is likely to take at least 21 hours.

In the early morning of March 26, the Dali lost power and crashed into a bridge support, sending the span into the Patapsco River, with a major portion draped over the Dali's bow. Six construction workers were killed.